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Momentum lost. Whatever the program gained with the victory last week against West Virginia went missing between last Saturday and tonight. Maybe it just highlights how fickle success is when the team is overmatched at multiple positions damn near every week, especially at the most important positions. For as good as the basketball played on Friday, the football team was equally as bad.
On the positive side, James Sims had another good game. Gaining 114 yards on 21 carries. Montell Cozart added 44 on the ground. And that's about where the positives end tonight. Only 4 penalties, that's pretty good. Jake Heaps made an appearance and threw some decent passes, though I still do not understand why Cozart wasn't given that experience. Guess it probably doesn't matter either way and it sure didn't matter tonight.
The defense was as bad as it has been since Mangino was shown the door. On the coldest night of the season, Iowa State gained more yards than they have against any opponent on the season. On a night when players for Kansas literally appeared to be playing on ice, Iowa State has their best offensive game by far. The defensive line had zero push. The Cyclone receivers were wide open throughout the game leading to Grant Rohach going 15-20, his highest single game completion percentage prior tonight was 61%. So it makes sense that a game in single digit temperatures would be his best, right? I think that's how it works. Not only did Iowa State throw for more yards than they have all year, they also had more rushing yards tonight than they have in any other game this season.
Same song, different verse. In 2012, we thought some strides were being made prior to the Iowa state game. The Cyclones came to town and won a laugher. In 2013, we thought some strides were being made prior to the Iowa State game. The Jayhawks went to Ames and the Cyclones won a laugher.